PRWID Panel Revisits Hill Subdivision Project

At the Price River Water Improvement District's last meeting, the subject of the Hill subdivision water system was broached again by board members.

The water supply situation during the last two years has centered around pressures and what kind of pumps or system should be installed in the subdivision to provide adequate pressure.

Some of the concern from PRWID has been that the pumps and system specified are not either up to their standards or will be of a type that will be more difficult to repair.

The system in the subdivision will be turned over to the water district once it is constructed and inspected.

On the other hand, developer Richard Lee contends that the system as designed covers all the bases that are required.

Since the original design for the system was developed, a third party engineer has been hired to look at the plan and make recommendations.

"This is a carry over from our last meeting," commented Phil Palmer, PRWID manager. "I have a recommendation from the third party engineers. But since then, I have also become concerned about the power requirements for the pumps."

"Apparently, they thought the pumps would have three phase power, but in actuality only single phase power is available. Soft start pumps are an option here," explained the PRWID manager.

Soft pumps require less of a load to start.

Discussion among the board also concerned the pump house to be located in the development.

The PRWID board and the developer initially thought that a pump house the district owns, but no longer uses could work for the subdivision project.

But engineers have indicated that the pump house could not economically be used for the development project because it weights 36 tons.

"The cost to move it would be higher than to build a new one," said Palmer.

But PRWID and Lee were concerned about the money involved in the changes.

"The costs on this are not complete and I am concerned that I don't know what the engineering firm did for those charges," stated Lee. "I am willing to do what the district wants. I understand that they want standard parts, but I already paid one engineer to do this design work. I just want to see this done to both our satisfaction, but I have to be concerned about higher costs."

The discussion turned to pressures in the lines, where there is a difference of opinion about what works and what won't.

"I just don't want to get caught with a Rolls Royce cost when the cost of a Buick or even a Volkswagon would do," Lee told the board. "I will pay for a Buick if that is what it takes to get this done."

However, PRWID board chairman Keith Cox indicated that he felt it is just a matter of reaching a mutual agreement to get the project done.

"The cost falls back on you," Cox told Lee. "I think we have been through this. You need to get with Phil and the engineer and bring us something we can approve. I don't want to go back and discuss using pumps that our staff are not comfortable with having installed."

But board member Steve Rigby had a different take on the situation.

"If this project is designed correctly, then let's approve it," stated Rigby. "If we want it changed after we get it then let's change it ourselves."

Palmer pointed out that pump specifications do not meet the PRWID staff's approval. But the third party engineer had specified new pumps and that it was a matter of incorporating the equipment into the design.

"But the other pumps meet the state code," stated Lee. "I'm not here to get anything from you, I just want this to work so it meets all our needs."

In the end the board decided to have the developer meet with the third party engineer to see what could be worked out.

In other business, PRWID discussed the U.S. Highway 6 utility relocation project that is nearing completion between Price and Wellington.

The discussion at last week's PRWID meeting centered around the $408,923 final cost of the highway improvements and the change orders on the project that amounted to $70,000.

The Utah Department of Transportation will refund the final cost of the project to the water improvement district.

"The change orders came to a large extent because of the number of days we had to extend the project for unforeseen circumstances," Palmer told the board.

PRWID also received a $100,000 grant for betterment projects that were included in the overall work done. The board authorized Palmer to approach UDOT with the final payment agreement.